Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-26
TO TUNNEL THE HUDSON.
How the Pennsylvania Proposes TO
Enter New York city.

A Philadelphia special OF the 4th
says: The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany has for many years been endeayor.
ing TO fiud a means by which to relch
the hcmt OF New York city. This has
been for some time made apparent by the
rapidly with which the New York Gen.
trail Railroad Company is gathering up
the cream Of the passenger business, be-
cause passengers are rot compelled 10
cross the Hudson river in ferry-Doafs TO
reach its depot. Under the new manage
ment Of the Central, more attention Is paid
to the comfort OF passengers. and the result
is that the passenger business OF the road
has increased rapidly within the past year.
IN giyiog the matter OF reaching the centre
oi New York city attention the Penn>ylyouia
Railroad Company has devoted timc
and money. 1t hss been found 10 be ut.
terly impracticable TO bridge the Hudson
river, as it would interfere seriously with
the commerce OF the port OF New York,
and, apart from this, the cost OF terminals
such as would be needed To New York ctfy
aDoye ground would be 80 fabulous as to
make IL out Of the question. The plan OF
building double. decked ferry-boats upon
which 10 take passengers across the Hud-
son river and landing upon the eastern side
Of West sire ct by means Of a bridge II only
int, ndedas 4 temporary affair.
The company, after two years OF patient
study Of the situation, has concluded that
the only means OF accomplishing this object
Is by aD underground route. Even this
would require tremendous outlay OF
money, but 1t is intended 10 lighten the
burden OF expense bv making all the lines
Of railway entering jersey City party 10
a. 10 ha
Pennsy lvaniJ, Erie, jersey Central. Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western, Lehigh
Valley, Susquebanua and Western, and the
West Shore. All OF these. il Is stated, can
be given access to the underground route
by LAYING additional track. The statement
is made that the railroad companies will not
De the only ones interested in the enter
prise, hut that New York and foreign cipi-
talsts viii also be- interested.
The plan contemplates two siDgle-track
tunnels under the Hudson river, one for
incoming aud one for outgoing trains this
plan having been selected because OF the
impossibility OF collision. Each OF these
will be OF brick thirty inches thick, made
in bydraulic cement and encased in quar-
Ter Of an inch in thickness. The measure.
ment of these tunnels will be sixteen feet
clear in width by seventeen feet in height.
The approach to the tunnels on the Jersey
City side will be near Jersey avenue, and
The decliylty under ground viii be $500
feet back from the bukhead, with grade
Of two feet in one hundred.
In New York city the tunnels will be
almost directly under Washington Square,
that portion Of the city having been chosen
because OF the absence OF bouses over
head. An excavation will be made here
that viii occupy as much space rs does the
square. and il Is part OF the plan to light
il up with electricity and give it all the
convebiences aud comforts OF an above
ground station. Passengers Will be en-
abled to reach the surface by means OF
pOwpful elevators or Siaircas"s. IL is also
proposed TO have the tunnels lighted by
elcciIicity ard 10 have telcgraphc and
telephone communication through them.
The approach t) the tunnel on the New
York side will be upon down grade OF
three feet in the hundred, commencing ut
Washington Square for bali the distance to
the river, where there Will be u sharp
ascent 10 get under the river bed. The
leneih ~ Tie tunnels from shaft to shaft
will be- $500 feet, and IL Is calculated that
It will take two years working regularly to
complete them bOth. The approach on the
Jersey City side wIll nc 1909 feet, and on
Tic New York side 1900 feet, making the
total length Of tunnel and approaches a
fraction less than two and one. half mites.
The calculation Of the engineers Is that
there will be not less than twelve feet OF
earth between the top OF the tunnel aud
the bed OF the river. The Penn,ylyanI
railroad, in giving the matter attention,
In is that the work is one perfectly prlc-
tlcable.
The estimates made OF the cost OF the
work show tlat the expense OF the terIni-
mails alone will be S3,000, 900. land IN New
York for tunnels will be S3,00o,000, and
the improvements will be $1,000 900,
maSing the total cost OF the operation Sll,-
0O0,00
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
bought the charter OF the former company
which attempted and abandoned tunnel
under the Hudson river, and Will operate
under that. This charter, 1t is stated, gives
them the right to 20 under ground In any
part Of New York or Brooklyn. It's un-
deTstood that no attempt will be made to
utilize this old tunnel, although consdera-
bic work was done upon it at an expendi-
ture Of over Sl,000,000.